Investigating Specialized Cells, Light, and Color Through Cow Eyeball Dissection
Help me give my students real eyes to learn about structure and function.
$381 goal
This project expired on July 18, 2025.
This project expired on July 18, 2025.
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Project
Who doesn’t love a good dissection lab?
Cow eyeballs are an easy and exciting way to explore structure and function while making science hands-on and engaging!
I love incorporating multiple content areas into this unit, starting with physics—asking the big question: Are light waves or photons? From there, we dive into the energy of the electromagnetic spectrum, then zoom in on visible light. Students are always fascinated to learn how our own eyes work similarly to the technology we use every day—like how TV screens and cell phones rely on pixels, while our eyes use specialized cells to process images. We even test out our own blind spots!
Then comes the highlight—the cow eyeball dissection! This hands-on experience gives students the chance to explore anatomy up close, build confidence in handling specimens, and connect abstract concepts to real life. Students LOVE this lab! While they might be hesitant to dissect a frog later in the year, the eyeball dissection is always a hit. Since many of my students haven’t had much lab experience before my class—especially with dissections—this is an activity they never forget. It’s truly an eye-cellent learning experience!
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
160 students impacted
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